The Washington critic., 1887-02-14
"GIVE ME hIIcr
How the Want of Proper Ventilation
MAY be EnsIly Remedied.

May be Easily Remedied.
EDITOR CRITIC: Allow me to call 10 your
rotice the lack Of proper ventilation in
some Of the Department buildings aud
other buildings occupied for similar pur-
poses, where numbers of clerks are gath
cred in one room. get my information
from various clerks, some Of whom are
being slowly poisoned to death by the foul
air they are compelled to breathe while at
work. An especial example may be found
IN the Dead Letter Bureau of the Postoillce
Department, where numbers OF ladies are
employed In the gallery OF room of which
the first floor is occupied by other clerks,
and the ventilation is especially bad. The
clerks themselves, who suffer the III effects
OF this foul air, do not always complain.
Some Of them endure 1t as an awful hard
ship, but many Of them have been confined
In such rooms so long that they have be-
come "cranRy," supersensitive to fresh
air, always afraid Of anything like "draft,n
and even determined to reduce the little
existing means OF ventilation as much as
possible. But these very ones are being
slowly killed by the foul air, nevertheless,
and in their cranky horror Of draft are
helping to Kill others around them. The
Government thus loses the benefit OF that
life and elastic energy at work which can
pure air to breathe.
The remedy is quite easy. In the first
place committee OF the Board Of Health, or
Of some other society OF recognized physi-
clans, should visit the Department build
ings and other buildings occupied for De-
partment purposes-taliing care 10 60 dur
ing working hours, and without previous
warning-and personally inspect every room
where more than say three or four clerks
nj for hama al
whether the means Of ventilation in actual
use are sufficient for safety, and In cases
where they are insufficient, report the facts
to the head OF the Bureau or OF the Depart.
ment, and urge the necessary changes.
The facts are very easily ascertained. SO
many persons require so much fresh air
every minute; and in order to get 1t, so
much area of opening for influx OF pure
air, and 60 much area OF exit for foul air
must be had; otherwise slow poisoning is
inevitable.
As many different plans for ventilation
have been tried and proved unsatisfactory,
let me present one which Is "down to first
principles In the way of cheapness, sim
plicity, convenience and effectiveness: To
heinside OF thcupper cross-bar OF the upper
sash Of each window fasten by hinges thin
board, as long as the cross-bar aud say
eight or twelve inches wide, and under It
put brace, acting against the middle up
right of the sash or against the side uprights
so that when the upper window Is closed the
board will be nearly horizontal, but when
the window Is lowered the brace will hold
the board up at an angle of say forty-llve
degrees, thus throwing the current OF air
up to the top Of the room. A similar board
might be hinged to the bottom casing OF the
window In such way that when the win
dow is raised the current of air will be
thrown up also. This plan, with the oXer.
else OF a little care aud common sense
In the use OF doors, would give ample ven
iilatIon to any room, and no person need
feel any draft Of air. Homo.
Washington, Feb, IA,